54 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



cent, carbonate of lime, and is probably a cause of the 

 fertility of the meadow land in the valley of the Teith. The 

 dip of the strata is from north-east to south-west. The soil 

 is naturally rather light, but has been much improved by 

 draining and tilling, and other agricultural operations. 



One or two botanical notes may be of use, as the distribu- 

 tion of birds in a district largely depends upon the food and 

 shelter afforded by the plants which it contains, especially 

 the trees. I have already observed that there are consider- 

 able pine plantations. In the glens are numerous coppices 

 of hazel, oak, birch, alder, and many other native woods ; 

 while the banks of several of the streams are edged with 

 willows. In the natural woodlands there is an abundance of 

 the various berry-producing plants; while in many places 

 the commoner ferns grow in such luxuriance, as to make it 

 difficult to force one's way through them. Formerly there 

 -were several of the rarer sorts of ferns, which were so eagerly 

 sought after, as to have apparently become extinct. On the 

 higher grounds there is an abundance of broom, juniper, 

 gorse or whin, and bog myrtle. Heather grows luxuriantly 

 on the hill sides, and higher up such plants as cranberries 

 are found, while on many of the mountain tops, amidst 

 their rocks and peat hags, are the mosses that red-deer delight 

 in. 



The average yearly rainfall for the last ten years is from 

 56 to 86 inches in various parts of the parish; and the 

 temperature for the same period in the summer six months 

 is 57°, and in the winter 36°. 



I have given in this paper the Latin, the English, and, 

 where practicable, the original and literal translations of the 

 local Gaelic names, as given to me by a shepherd resident in 

 the district. 



BuTEO VULGAEIS (Leach) ; Common Buzzard ; Clamhan 

 (" loosely feathered "). — A few are usually seen about Novem- 

 ber, but none breed in the neighbourhood. 



Aquila chrysaetos (L.) ; Golden Eagle ; lolair (" leader, 

 shower of the way "). — Almost, if not quite, extinct. The 

 former eyries were Ben Ledi, Glenartney, and Balquhidder. 



